Internships for PhD students (M/F/X)

We offer a three-month internship at CWI under the supervision of a CWI researcher who supports your visit. Your travel to Amsterdam will be paid for, and your accommodation in Amsterdam is fully arranged and covered by the internship program. You will also receive a monthly stipend of 1200 euros to help cover your daily expenses.

We are looking for motivated mathematics and computer science students who are in a sufficiently advanced phase of their PhD studies. To qualify for the CWI internship, you must be enrolled in a PhD program outside of the Netherlands.

We strongly encourage women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, and members of other underrecognized groups to apply. We are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. We believe that a wide range of perspectives and experiences enriches our community and enhances our ability to innovate and excel.

Every application begins with explicit support from a CWI staff member, so make sure you get in touch with a member of one of our groups to discuss a research plan and timeline. After that, the procedure is as follows:

1. The Candidate applies through the CWI website, supplying a brief CV, research and proposal
2. The CWI host supplies letter of support with statement of impact
3. HR notifies the applicants and the CWI host of awarded internship and scheduled dates
4. Upon confirmation, HR arranges for housing etc.

Once the internship has finished, the applicant writes short report about internship (max. 2 pages) and sends it to committee within 1 month of finishing the internship What should you include in your application

Include in your application a brief CV and a research proposal. Only focus on the things you feel are relevant to the internship you are applying for.

• Your resume includes:
  • Your email address
  • Institute/university address and phone number
  • Academic research area and topic of PhD
  • Contact details of your PhD supervisor
  • Any awards you have received, articles you have published or conference presentations you have given. We do not need to see copies of any awards or publications, just a reference to them.
  • Expected graduation date.
• Your research proposal (max. 2 pages) includes:
  • The name of the CWI research group and researcher who will host you
  • A brief but concrete outline of your research plan for the internship
  • The available dates for your 3-month internship. The internship should take place between March 2026 and February 2027. It is recommended that you indicate a period of 5-6 months during which the internship will take place. We will schedule the exact dates according to availability of housing etc.
  • A brief and concrete overview of the impact the internship will have on your research and career.

Your CWI host should supply a letter of support by mail to the committee (internships@cwi.nl). The letter includes a brief motivation for the internship and its expected outcomes for the host and CWI.

To enter the Netherlands, you might need a visa. Whether you need a visa is based on your nationality. The embassy in your country of residence can guide you through the whole procedure, step by step. Be aware that the application process may take long, depending on your nationality, so take this into account when scheduling the internship.

CWI will arrange, and pay, for housing in the vicinity of CWI. Depending on availability this will be a small studio apartment or equivalent. If you have any special requirements regarding accessibility, please notify us as soon as possible